Alarm, fire tucks no match for Easter egg hunt in capturing kids' attention

If it had been any other day, the screaming fire alarm and giant red fire trucks would have meant something Sunday to the dozens of children on the lawn at Cardinal Drive Church of Christ in Rolling Meadows.

But when there are 2,000 colorful Easter eggs just laying there waiting to be scooped up, nothing else matters.

"I've never seen that before," said one adult congregation member as the children bounced excitedly on their tiptoes, waiting for their chance to go collect eggs instead of watching the firefighters responding to an alarm at the church.

"It's different, that's for sure," said another while the youngsters continued to dance at the edge of the grass.

"I don't think they care," said someone else in the crowd as he turned his attention from the building to the front lawn.

And so while the Rolling Meadows firefighters checked the building and shut off the alarm, the Easter egg hunt began as scheduled at noon. By the time the eggs were collected, the fire department had pulled away. Someone had pulled a fire alarm handle moments before the hunt began, explained one firefighter as he left the building.

With the safety of church members and the building in check, the crowd re-entered for a coloring contest and cookie decorating event.